I Will Remember You
by Just Mosie
Summary: It started with a simple caress, then a soft, loving kiss that lingered. Entry for Feb 2010 Jello Forever Challenge. Also inspired by Sarah McLachlan's song.


**This is my entry for the 2010 February Jello Forever Challenge :]**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own The Mentalist or the song I used.**

**I Will Remember You**

_I will remember you_

_Will you remember me?_

_Don't let your life pass you by_

_Weep not for the memories…_

First, it had happened as an accident. They had found themselves entangled together in a heated embrace during a tiring case just past Fresno. Neither knew how it had happened, both were tired, both were upset. The case was about a small little girl being beaten to death by her own father. It was obvious who had done it from the very start.

It started with a simple caress, then a soft, loving kiss that lingered. He had meant to originally brush the hair from her face, but her eyes…were so pained, so troubled. He found himself leaning forward, lips connected with hers. Once they had pulled away, she had bit her lip, rolling the slightly plumper flesh between her teeth before she moved closer to him. He had cradled her face with his two hands and met her once more, putting in such a fiery passion that made her toes curl.

Her hands grasped onto his blond locks, twirling a rebellious curl around her index finger. His arms had wrapped around her body, keeping her flush against him. They pulled apart once more, breaths mingling together, their half-opened eyes darkening as she spoke softly.

"Please…"

The Second happened a few weeks later, this time in his hotel room. She had found him crying in his sleep-it was his daughter's birthday. She would have been eleven years old.

Her heartstrings tugged as she had gripped her briefcase tighter and forced her legs to move to him. She had knelt down, wrapping her arms around his body, whispering him ever so slightly out of his slumber. Beckoning him to come back. His hand had reached out and grasped onto her hand, thumb running over the back, her lips had parted.

She had chosen to drive him back to his hotel, but he had asked her to come in with him and she could not tell the heavily saddened man no.

The entire time she had kept her eyes closed.

The third and final time was in her bedroom. He had come to her months later, days after she had nearly been arrested for murder. He had told her he wanted to make sure she was truly all right. She was the one who invited him in for a cup of tea; he was the one who moved into her kitchen with her, watching her every moment.

It was her that wrapped her arms around him before he left, kissing him with a passionate force. His arms had snaked around her waist, keeping her close to his body as his mouth dueled with hers. They found themselves entwined on her bed, his fingers lightly tracing around her wrist, eyes shutting and breathing deeply as his fingers moved over the healed scars only to have been put there by a razor.

Her sleepy eyes had opened, "I love you," her voice was soft, almost childish. His heart had completely stopped.

_I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose_

_Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose_

_Once there was darkness, deep and endless night_

_You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light…_

He never told her how he felt about her then, he was unsure and clung to the thoughts of his dead wife and child. He was so caught up on avenging them, bringing Red John down that he never knew he was hurting her greatly, emotionally putting a knife through her chest every time he would refuse to acknowledge her presence. She had given him her heart, and he took the time to break it into small, brittle pieces.

In those three times when he was with her intimately, it gave him a feeling of acceptance, that he actually felt as if he was truly needed. They had done things as one, helping each other overcome their loneliness and find love.

Yes, he did love her…but he was afraid to be near her, feeling that she would be in great danger. Red John would soon go after her, in a vain attempt to hurt him even more than he had already done so.

But that was not the only circumstance; only a few weeks ago she had called him into her office. She was hesitant, walking around her office, fingers fumbling with each other in attempt to clutch more firmly onto the other. He could see her nervousness, he was about to open his mouth, say something witty to make her blush, but she beat him first.

"I'm pregnant."

It took him days to process the sudden news, always stealing glances at her nervous form maneuvering around the office. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he never did realize that the woman that worked with him every day had been pregnant with his child.

So he ran.

_Will you remember me?_

The sun setting sun over the California horizon, danced across the sky, painting everything in its presence a deep red orange. A lone cerulean blue Citroën moved along the damaged road, bumping occasionally as it hit a new pothole. The man inside was unaffected, staring regretfully forward.

His hands clutched the wheel, thumbs dancing over the now hot with friction steering wheel. He breathed out; squeezing his eyes shut and tossing his head back onto the headrest. He flicked his gaze back where it was most needed, the edges of his mouth drooping lower. The wrinkles in his forehead became more pronounced as he squinted, attempting to block out the last bits of sun.

Yes, he was leaving California. Running away like a coward from everything he was working for. Red John would follow him; find new ways to mock him about how he was a failure to human nature.

True human nature was about keeping those you love safe, and he failed a long time ago when Red John took almost everything away.

He shut his eyes once more and breathing deep once more, he griped the wheel and turned it to the left, the car jerked towards the desired location of the road, swerving slightly when it hit another pothole. He stepped down on the gas and the Citroën lurched forward back towards the city limits.

He took one hand off the wheel, running it through his blond locks and breathing through his nose. Placing back on its place, he felt a new feeling bubble up within him. The thought of starting over. Yes, the idea of catching Red John was still a priority, but Lisbon was at the top.

Just like she deserved to be.

_Don't let your life pass you by…_

He walked up the steps, hands gliding over the railing, cringing as he accidentally cut himself on a rough, slightly broken portion. He examined his hand, shaking it slightly before he moved closer towards her apartment. He stopped by her door, moving a fist up to knock. Once, twice, and a third was all it took. Each time the low-pitched sound resonated in his ears, mind processing every rap.

When the door opened, he felt his heart stop. Then he looked at the tiny body wrapped in a blanket before him, her hair messily pulled back into a low ponytail, some soft waves framing her face. One hand rested on the door, the other on her barely showing stomach.

"Patrick?" he was surprised at the sound of his name coming off her lips. He hadn't expected it, he did not deserve being called by his first name around her, "You came back."

Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer, "I knew you would," her voice was a soft whisper, tickling his ear. He in return pulled her closer to his body, mesmerized by the feel of her womanly body pressed against his.

He pressed a kiss onto the top of her head, breathing in her spicy scent, "How did you know?" his tone was slightly teasing, enough to make his lips turn upwards into a bright smile.

"You say you'll leave every few months, but you always come back," there was a slight pause, his heart moved unsteadily, "I need you."

"Teresa…"

"Mhm," she snuggled deeper into his arms, almost as if she had a childish fear that he would simply vanish in her arms.

"I love you," she clutched onto his clothes tighter, fingering the material almost hesitantly. She looked up at him, tears forming in her bright green eyes. Once more he found her biting her lip.

Lisbon pulled away from him, switched her footing and pulled her arm farther from her body. She bent it at the elbow and let her hand hit the side of his face, a long resonating sound followed sharply while he winced in the sudden pain. He blinked slightly before his gaze returned to her.

Jane stepped forward and grabbed the back of her head, angling her closer towards him as his mouth was placed onto hers. Her hands clutched at the lapels of his suit jacket, keeping him as close as humanly possible. He wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her closer to him. They parted, let their breaths mingle before they in synch, leaned forward, capturing each other in a sweet kiss.

Once they parted, he rests his forehead against hers, hand on her stomach and the other running down the curve of her nose. She kept him in her arms, once more holding onto his body as if it were a simple childish fear.

"I love you."

_I will remember you…_

Forever.

**The forever bit is actually not part of the song :] I put it in there so it would look like their relationship was more permanent.**

**Song is "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan**

**I would once more love to hear from everyone, please leave a review and tell me what you thought and I will honestly try to put out another challenge fic before the end of this short month of February.**


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